Mr. Andrusyk Recommends
One of the most difficult questions I get frequently is "What's your favorite book?" Wait! I have to choose just one? That's like asking me who's my favorite student, my favorite Jelly Belly, or my favorite Muppet. There's so many with great qualities that it's hard to pick one. This page is a list of authors, series, and titles that I've enjoyed over the years. I try to read a variety of books from different genres but I love mysteries, historical fiction, history (especially Civil War and 20th Century American history), and biographies.
Authors
- Bray, Libba.
Must reads:- Going Bovine
- Beauty Queens
- The Diviners series
- Christie, Agatha.
Must reads:- Murder on the Orient Express
- Ten Little Indians or And Then There Were None
- The Murder of Roger Ackroyd
- Witness for the Prosecution
- Green, John.
Must reads:- Looking for Alaska
- The Fault in Our Stars
- Paper Towns
- Myers, Walter Dean.
Must reads:- Monster
- Fallen Angels
- Sunrise over Fallujah
- Shaara, Jeff.
Must reads:- Gods and Monsters
- The Last Full Measure
- The Glorious Cause: A Novel of the American Revolution
- Tolkien, J. R. R.
Must Reads:- The Hobbit
- Lord of the Rings trilogy
- The Silmarillion
- Twain, Mark.
Must reads:- The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
- The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
- A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court
Book Series
- Barr, Nevada Anna Pigeon series
First book in series: Track of the Cat - Berry, Steve Cotton Malone series
First book in series: The Templar Legacy - Cornwell, Patricia Kay Scarpetta series
First book in series: Postmortem - Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan Sherlock Holmes series
First book in series: A Study in Scarlet - Hillerman, Tony Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee series
First book in series: The Blessing Way - Lyga, Barry Jasper Dent trilogy
First book in series: I Hunt Killers - Marchetta, Melina Lumatere Chronicles series
First book in series: Finnikin of the Rock - Paolini, Christopher Inheritance series
First book in series: Eragon - Reichs, Kathy Temperance Brennan series
First book in series: Deja Dead - Riggs, Ransom Miss Peregrine series
First book in series: Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Fiction
- Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Fic Ale
This book will make you laugh, but it will also bring tears to your eyes. Junior does make some humorous observations about life while going to an all-white high school. He also must face some serious issues back at his home on the reservation such as alcoholism and poverty. - Ball, John. In the Heat of the Night. Fic Bal
An African-American detective from California finds himself accused of a murder he did not commit and must prove his innocence in a racially tense community. A film and a television series were inspired by this book. - Birch, Carol. Jamrach’s Menagerie: A Novel. Fic Bir
I found this book to be disturbing yet exciting. Mr. Jamrach sends his handlers, Jaffy and Will on a voyage which will test their survival skills. I should warn this book is not for the squeamish! - Boyne, John. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas: A Fable. Fic Boy
A very powerful book that looks at the Holocaust through the eyes of the young son of a Nazi officer who befriends a boy in striped pajamas who lives behind a wire fence. - Boyne, John. Mutiny: A Novel of the Bounty. Fic Boy
This is an excellent adventure that tells the story of the HMS Bounty in the point of view of fourteen-year-old John Jacob Turnstile. I really appreciated the descriptions of life out at sea during the 1700s. - Boyne, Walter J. Dawn over Kitty Hawk: The Novel of the Wright Brothers. Fic Boy
A fascinating story about the Wright brothers as they develop their airplane as they compete with Alexander Graham Bell, Augustus Herring and Samuel Pierpont Langley. - Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. FIC Bra
An excellent book about censorship focusing on a fireman whose job is to burn illegal books. - Bruchac, Joseph. Pocahontas. Fic Bru
Tells the story of the encounter between the Powhatan Indians and the English colonists at Jamestown, Virginia in the point of view of Pocahontas and John Smith. Bruchac uses words that the colonists have used and from the Powhatna language. There’s a glossary at the end of the book. - Caputo, Philip. The Voyage. Fic Cap
Recommended for mature readers. Just imagine what it would be like if you and your brothers are preparing for a summer sailing. Just before you set sail, you are told that your father is not joining you and that you are not to return. What would you do? Where would you go? - Card, Orson Scott. Ender's Game. FIC Car
This is a must read for science fiction fans. An alien race known as “buggers” is attacking the Earth and the only one who can stop them is a boy named Andrew “Ender” Wiggins. - Chbosky, Stephen. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Fic Chb
A coming of age story about a freshman boy who writes a series of letters to an unknown receiver. - Chevalier, Tracy. Girl with a Pearl Earring. FIC Che
I was fascinated by the setting, Holland during the seventeenth century and the characters are well developed.. This tells the story of a young girl who becomes a maid for the Vermeer family and ends up being the model for his painting Girl with a Pearl Earring. - Cornwell, Bernard. 1356: A Novel. Fic Cor
An exciting story about the events leading up to the Battle of Poitiers in 1356. A must read for those who like adventure, historical fiction, and lots of action. - Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe. Fic Def
Probably one of the greatest adventure stories of all time. Tells the story of Robinson Crusoe who is shipwrecked on a deserted island and must fight for his survival for thirty years. - Doctorow, E. L. Ragtime. Fic Doc
This is a fun historical fiction novel about three families whose lives are intertwined with Henry Ford, Harry Houdini, J. P. Morgan, Theodore Dreiser, and Sigmund Freud at the beginning of the twentieth century. - Donnelly, Jennifer. A Northern Light. Fic Don
This coming of age story is about sixteen-year-old Mattie who wishes to go to college and become a writer, takes a job at a hotel in 1906. - Donnelly, Jennifer. Revolution. Fic Don
This is a great duel story with one story taking place at present day and other during the time of the French Revolution. Andi, a seventeen-year-old musician travels to Paris to complete a school assignment discovers a diary written during the French Revolution which was written by a young actress who is trying to help an imprisoned little boy. - Dowswell, Paul. The Auslander. Fic Dow
Peter is taken from a Warsaw orphanage and is adopted by a Nazi professor. He eventually forms his own ideas about what he sees and hears and decides to take a risk that is most dangerous in 1942 Berlin. - Drake, John. Flint & Silver: A Prequel to Treasure Island. Fic Dra
This fun adventure is the prequel to Robert Louis Sullivan’s Treasure Island. John Silver and Joseph Flint team up to sail the seas acquiring a vast amount treasure until they meet a beautiful runaway slave. - Du Maurier, Daphne. Rebecca. Fic DuM
This is an excellent suspense romance where the new mistress of Manderley’s Cornwall estate must constantly compete with the memory of Macim de Winter’s first wife, Rebecca. - Du Maurier, Daphne. Jamaica Inn. Fic Dum
Mary Yellan comes to her aunt and uncle’s estate Jamaica Inn on the moor and is unaware about the truth of Jamaica Inn and why her aunt was so frightened. - Dumas, Alexandre. The Three Musketeers. Fic Dum
This is a fun classic adventure story about young D’Artagnan who joins Musketeers Athos, Porthos, and Aramis in an adventure in 1625 France. - Elkeles, Simone. Leaving Paradise. Fic Elk
Told in two points of view, a year after a car accident Maggie is still coping with a crippling leg injury as Caleb returns after spending time in prison for drinking under the influence. - Flinn, Alex. Nothing to Lose. Fic Fli
Michael returns home after running away with a traveling carnival to discover that his mother is on trial for the murder of his abusive stepfather. - Follett, Ken. Pillars of the Earth. Fic Fol
For mature readers, this epic centers around the architects who are in charge of the building of a cathedral.
Also read:
World without End. - Ford, John C. The Cipher. Fic For
When his friend, Ben, cracks a code that unlocks all of the Internet’s secrets, Robert “Smiles” Smylie and Ben finds themselves in danger as they try to negotiate with two suspicious federal agents. Full of action and twists in the plot. - Gaiman, Neil. Anansi Boys. Fic Gai
This entertaining novel tells the story of Charlie Nancy who discovers at his father’s funeral not only that his father was the human form of Anansi, the African trickster god, but also that his has a brother named Spider who possesses some of their father’s godlike abilities.Mr. A.: A very entertaining story. - Gaiman, Neil. Stardust. Fic Gai
I couldn’t put down this fairy tale adventure. In order to impress the girl he loves, Tristan dares to cross the wall near their countryside town to retrieve a fallen star, but others are after the fallen star and things are very different on the other side of the wall. - Going, Kelly. Fat Kid Rules the World. Fic Goi
A great coming of age story where seventeen year old Troy is depressed and contemplating of taking his life when a semi-homeless teen asks Troy to be his drummer in his band. - Golding, William. Lord of the Flies: A Novel. Fic Gol
A classic adventure story of a group of young boys who are stranded on an island and struggle to survive. - Goldman, William. The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure: The "Good Parts" Version. Fic Gol
Westly must rescue Buttercup, the most beautiful girl in the world, from marrying the evil Prince Humperdinck. If you thought the 1987 movie was funny, you will definitely enjoy this book. - Grisham, John. Calico Joe. Fic Gri
This story, based on the Cubs and Mets 1973 season follows the divergent paths of Joe Castle, a rookie hitter for the Chicago Cubs and Warren Tracey, a hard-throwing Mets pitcher. - Haddon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Fic Had
This story gets you into the mind of an autistic teenager when fifteen year old Christopher decides to conduct his own investigation of the murder of a neighbor’s dog. - Hamilton, Masha. The Camel Bookmobile. Fic Ham
This is a great story about when two cultures class with each chapter told in a different point of view. Librarian Fiona Sweeney decides she will help mankind by heading a bookmobile in a remote region of northeastern Kenya and encounters a culture she struggles to understand and resistance from community members who want to preserve their traditions. - Harris, Robert. Pompeii: A Novel. Fic Har
A exciting novel about the last days of Pompeii before Mt Vesuvius erupts. Engineer Marcus Attilius Primus is assigned to find the problems that have been plaguing the Aqua Augusta aqueduct only to discover that the problems are beyond his ability to fix and the city is in grave danger. - Hyde, Catherine Ryan. Pay It Forward. Fic Hyd
A very inspirational story about a twelve-year-old boy who comes up with a simple play to change the world for a school project. - Kaplow, Robert. Me and Orson Welles: A Novel. Fic Kap
In 1937, depicts a week in the life of a seventeen-year-old boy in New Jersey who lands himself a part in Orson Welles’ debut production on Broadway and falls in love. - Kinsella, W. P. Shoeless Joe. Fic Kin
The movie Field of Dreams is based on this book. Ray Kinsella sacrifices the financial stability of his farm by building a baseball field in his cornfield in the hopes of his hero, Shoeless Joe Jackson, will play in it. - Kline, Christina Baker. Orphan Train. Fic Kli
Tells the parallel stories of orphans, Vivian (1930s) and Molly (2011). To perform community service, Molly helps 91 year old Vivian clean out her attic where they discover they have a lot in common. - Kwok, Jean. Girl in Translation. Fic Kwo
This is an eye-opening novel about adjusting to a new country with very differnt customs, language, and lifestyle. Ah-Kim Chang and her mother come to Brooklyn from China where they work in Kim’s Aunt Paula in a factory and live in a dilapidated apartment building with no heat. Kim’s perseverance however earns her a spot at an elite private school. - Leroux, Gaston. The Phantom of the Opera. Fic Ler
If you are a fan of the musical, then you should read the book it is based on. A disfigured musical genius who lives beneath the Paris Opera House falls in love with a beautiful soprano and, in his desperation to have his love returned, embarks on some terrifying means towards that end. - Marshall, James Vance. Walkabout. Fic Mar
This great novel about a girl and her brother who are lost in the outback when they meet up with an Aborigine boy who must decide to continue his walkabout which requires him to be alone, or help the two children survive in the wilderness. - Mitchell, Margaret. Gone with the Wind. FIC MIT
Probably my favorite historical fiction novel of all time. After the Civil War sweeps away the genteel life to which she has been accustomed, Scarlett O'Hara sets about to salvage her plantation home. - Ness, Patrick. A Monster Calls: A Novel. Fic Nes
After Conor’s mother is diagnosed with cancer, Conor starts waking up in the middle of the night at the exact same time to find a monster outside his bedroom window. I must admit this book toiled with my emotions. - Oates, Joyce Carol. Big Mouth & Ugly Girl. Fic Oat
This is a great friendship story about a boy who is falsely accused of threatening to blow up his high school. His friends turn on him and then the person he least expects comes to his aid. - Palacio, R. J. Wonder. Fic Pal
One of the best friendship stories I’ve ever read. Auggies was born with facial deformities. He and his family decide that he should start attending a private school in Manhattan. Told in different points of view, this story explores how one person can touch many lives. - Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on the Western Front. Fic Rem
Depicts what life was like in the trenches during World War I as a German soldier. A classic story. - Roth, Veronica. Divergent. Fic Rot
I must confess that I am not a big fan of dystopian literature, however I really got into this book mainly because it takes place in Chicago and uses the city’s landscape throughout the book. Sixteen-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomoly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all. - Russell, Karen. Swamplandia! Fic Rus
A family struggles not only with the loss of their wife and mother but also to keep their alligator theme park from going under. This novel went where I least expected but it worked for me. - Sabatini, Rafael. Captain Blood. Fic Sab
A fun pirate adventure! When a doctor is convicted of treason because he treated a rebellious nobleman, he becomes a buccaneer. This was made into a movie in 1935. - Sebold, Alice. The Lovely Bones: A Novel. Fic Seb
The story of the rape and murder of a fourteen year girl told by the viewpoint of the dead victim. - Sepetys, Ruta. Between Shades of Gray. Fic Sep
Lina, her mother, and her brother are pulled from their home in Lithuania by Soviet troops and are sent to Siberia because her father has been accused of treason. This is based on the author’s family. - Shaara, Michael. The Killer Angels. Fic Sha
Provides a fictional account of the battle of Gettysburg told in the point of view of the generals and soldiers who participated in the battle from both sides. - Smith, Andrew. Winger. Fic Smi
Ryan Dean faces a lot of challenges his junior year at a prestigious boarding school. Not only is he two years younger than his classmates, he has been assigned to live in a dorm designed for “troublemakers” due to a mistake he made and he is also falling love with a girl who thinks of him as just a kid, but also he is playing wing on the Varsity rugby team.
Also read:
Stand-Off - Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. Fic Ste
Considered to be the first pirate novel, this classic is full of adventure. While going through the possessions of a deceased guest who owed them money, the mistress of the inn and her son find a treasure map that leads to a pirate fortune and great danger. - Stoker, Bram. Dracula. Fic Sto
The classic tale of the vampire known as Dracula is one that nobody should miss out reading. - Stoker, Dacre. Dracula: The Un-dead. Fic Sto
A sequel to Bram Stoker's "Dracula," set twenty-five years after the vampire was destroyed, in which Quincey, the son of Jonathan and Mina Harker, having left law school to pursue an acting career, learns the secrets of his parents' past through a production of the play "Dracula," directed by Bram Stoker, and stumbles upon a plot to kill all the people involved in Count Dracula's demise. - Stork, Francisco X. Marcelo in the Real World. Fic Sto
Marcelo Sandoval, a seventeen-year-old boy on the high-functioning end of the autistic spectrum, faces new challenges, including romance and injustice, when he goes to work for his father in the mailroom of a corporate law firm. - Wallace, Daniel. Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions. Fic Wal
This is an imaginative father-son novel about William Bloom, desperate to get to know his dying father before it's too late, recreates his parent's life in a series of legends and myths based on the few facts he knows. - Watson, Lawrence. Montana, 1948: A Novel. FIC Wat
David's life is changed forever when his Uncle Frank is accused of sexual abuse and possibly murder, and his father, the sheriff, must deal with the consequences. - Wolf, Allan. The Watch that Ends the Night: Voices from the Titanic. Fic Wol
Told in a series of poems, recreates the 1912 sinking of the Titanic as observed by millionaire John Jacob Astor, a beautiful young Lebanese refugee finding first love, "Unsinkable" Molly Brown, Captain Smith, and others including the iceberg itself. - Yolen, Jane. Briar Rose. Fic Yol
A unique twist on the popular fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty and the dark tale of the Holocaust twined together in a story of darkness and redemption. - Yolen, Jane. The Devil's Arithmetic. Fic Yol
Hannah learns about her faith in a unique way—by going back in time and experience the concentration camp. - Zusak, Markus. The Book Thief. Fic Zus
Tells the story of Liesel, a young German girl who steals books to read in the point of view of Death. - Zusak, Markus. I Am the Messenger. Fic Zus
After capturing a bank robber, nineteen-year-old cab driving Ed Kennedy begins receiving mysterious messages that direct him to addresses where people need help and he begins getting over his lifelong feeling of worthlessness.
Nonfiction
- Albright, Madeleine Korbel. Prague Winter: A Personal Story of Remembrance and War, 1937-1948. 943.71 Alb
A fascinating story of former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright’s childhood discussing the Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia, the country where she was born and her family fleeing to London. After the war, she returned only to flee again from the Communists. - Ambrose, Stephen E. Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West. 917.804 Amb
This book reads like an adventure novel describing Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s exploration of the West. - Barbree, Jay. Live from Cape Canaveral: Covering the Space Race, from Sputnik to Today. 629.45 Bar
Jay Barbree, the only journalist to have covered every mission flown by astronauts, shares stories from throughout his career reporting on the space program, with portraits of astronauts and fellow journalists he has met over the years, and thoughts on how press coverage of the space program has changed. - Bogdanos, Matthew. Thieves of Baghdad: One Marine's Passion for Ancient Civilizations and the Journey to Recover the World's Greatest Stolen Treasures. 956.7044 Bog
Colonel Matthew Bogdanos recounts his family's experiences at Ground Zero on September 11, his missions to hunt down al-Qaeda terrorists in Afghanistan, and the investigation that led him to the discovery of more than five thousand priceless objects in Iraq. - Burpo, Todd. Heaven is for Real: A Little Boy’s Astonishing Story of his Trip to Heaven and Back. 133.9 Bur
Presents the story of the four-year old son of a Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. - Clary, David A. Adopted Son: Washington, Lafayette, and the Friendship That Saved the Revolution. 973.3 Cla
Examines the personal and professional relationship between George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette and how that friendship influenced the outcome of the American Revolution. I was especially intrigued by the life of Lafayette in this dual-biography. I didn't realize how young he was when he came to fight against the British and also he came here against the wishes of King Louis XVI. - Cordingly, David. Under the Black Flag: The Romance and Reality of Life among the Pirates. 910.4 Cor
This is an interesting book about pirates that looks into what really happened and what was made up in literature and in Hollywood! - Cullen, Dave. Columbine. 373.788 Cul
A very well researched book about the tragedy at Columbine High School that tries to explain the events leading up to, during, and the aftermath. - Forbes, Bruce David. Christmas: A Candid History. 394.268 For
Describes the evolution of Christmas from its pre-Christian origins through its contemporary incarnation, covering the roots of several traditions and discussing its meaning for Christians, its celebration by non-Christians, and the perspective of individuals who feel like outsiders during the Christmas season. - Goodwin, Doris Kearns. Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. 973.7 Goo
Presents an overview of the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, explaining the genius of his political savvy, and describes the context in which he assigned a cadre of his fiercest rivals as his closest cabinet advisors. - Hickam, Homer H. October Sky: A Memoir. 921 Hickam
Inspired by the launching of Sputnik, Homer, growing up in the small mining town of Coalwood, develops an interest in rockets instead of in coal as his father wishes.
Also read:
The Coalwood Way.
Sky Of Stone. - Jonnes, Jill. Eiffel's Tower: And the World's Fair Where Buffalo Bill Beguiled Paris, the Artists Quarreled, and Thomas Edison Became a Count. 907.4 Jon
Tells the story of Gustave Eiffel and his building of the one thousand foot tower for the 1889 World’s Fair and the remarkable cast of characters --Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley, Gauguin, Whistler, and Edison-- who traveled to Paris to mingle and make their mark. - Larson, Erik. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America. 364.15 Lar
Bringing Chicago circa 1893 to vivid life, Larson intertwines the true tale of two men, the brilliant architect behind the legendary 1893 World's Fair, striving to secure American's place in the world; and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. I was more fascinated by the planning and constructing of the Colombian Exposition than the serial killer’s side of the story. - Masters, Edgar Lee. Spoon River Anthology. 811 Mas
A series of dramatic monologues, in which inhabitants of the cemetery on the hill overlooking the fictional Midwestern town of Spoon River reveal the shocking scandals and tragic secrets of their lives. - McCullough, David G. John Adams. 921 Adams
This is probably my favorite biography. McCullough traces the life of John Adams and his influence in the making of our nation. - Mee, Benjamin. We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a Young Family, a Broken Down Zoo, and the 200 Wild Animals that Changed Their Lives Forever. 590.73 Mee
This is another example of “don’t judge the book on its movie.” The author relates his experiences buying and moving into a rundown zoo in the English countryside and trying to rebuild it with his family while taking care of his dying wife and two children. - Oxnam, Robert B. A Fractured Mind: My Life with Multiple Personality Disorder. 616.85 Oxn
You’ve seen this disorder portrayed on television and in the movies, but have you heard of anyone actually experience it? You can see the changes in writing style as different personalities assist in writing this remarkable true story. Robert Oxnam recounts his battle with multiple personality disorder, describing his eleven personalities and his struggle to merge them into one personality in order to reclaim his life. - Philbrick, Nathaniel. Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War. 973.2 Phi
We all know about the Pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock, but there’s a lot more we really don’t know about them. This book describes their struggles surviving in the colony and their relationship with the Wampanoags. - Stewart, David O. The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution. 342.73 Ste
This read like a political novel as it traces the events of the summer of 1787 as the delegates of the Philadelphia Convention wrote the United States Constitution. - Truman, Margaret. The President's House: A First Daughter Shares the History and Secrets of the World's Most Famous Home. 973 Tru
This book does not just look at the historic events that took place in the White House but also the changes it has seen in its structure, decoration, and the grounds. - Tzemach Lemmon, Gayle. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana: Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe. 958.1 Tze
The incredible true account of Kamila Sidiqi who, when her father and brother were forced to flee Kabul, became the sole breadwinner for her five siblings. Armed only with grit and determination, she picked up a needle and thread and created a thriving business of her own and held her family together. - Wiesel, Elie. Night. 940.53 Wie
Presents a true account of the author's experiences as a Jewish boy in a Nazi concentration camp. - Winik, Jay. April 1865: The Month that Saved America. 973.7 Win
Traces the events which occurred in the final days of the Civil War and discusses how these events changed the history of the Civil War. - Woodard, Colin. The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down. 910.4 Woo
Explore the lives of famous pirates such as Bellamy and Blackbird who terrorized the Caribbean and the Atlantic coast and how they were brought down.